Originally Posted By Tinkerbell819 My trip is scheduled for 7/28 and I am in a state of panic! I have had ressies at Hojos since March, but have had no luck finding a decent airfare after searching day after day (and now it's about 5X a day!) on Kayak, Lastminutetravel and Southwest. (Ding and regular sales. Their Tues. email sale just came out and again...no luck.) Have any of you purchased your airfare within two or three weeks? (Or does it just continue to climb as the days draw closer?) Last year I got my tix on 7/11, but I was traveling at the end of Aug. It was a SW sale, so I feel my last hope is next week's sale!
Originally Posted By Mrs ElderP Have you tried priceline? my one experiance with them for airfair, was that I got the price that I wanted, but it was a with a long connection in between. I spent nearly all day traveling from LAX to SLC (a 3/4 hour flight) So, you may get the price you want, but spend more time in the air than you planned. What airport are you flying out of?
Originally Posted By Tinkerbell819 I have checked Priceline from time to time b/c one year they did find me the best fare. I am flying out of PHL. (to SNA, ONT, LAX...anywhere to get to DL! lol I have even checked Las Vegas...it's only a 4 hour ride after landing!
Originally Posted By ilvdland I have found that you have the best chance 14 days-7 days before. You are really pushing it if you wait past the 14 day mark. I only fly Alaska though, so I'm not sure if other airlines are like that. Don't forget Long Beach, if that's one of your options.
Originally Posted By Tinkerbell819 You have given me some hope! I haven't been able to book a car, either since I don't know which airport I'll be arriving in, when I checked the prices the other night they were double or triple what I paid last year. (The airfare is more than double, as well as the hotel.) When I search on Kayak, they check all of the surrounding airports, also. I'd like to fly to LGB, it sounds cool!
Originally Posted By MOLLYSMOM I only fly Alaska as ilvdland. I purchase my airfare as soon as the airline allows...330 days out. I actually book my entire trip at that time. Just for example...I booked my airfare last September, and paid $224 for my RT flights. To book the exact flight today would run me $598. I fly out the 12th of August. I have never waited to book, and I have never gotten burned. Granted, there are Southwest's Dings, but as I said, I will only fly Alaska. That's not to say that you won't find a great deal...I hope that you do. For me personally, I have always saved huge amounts of money by booking as early as possible. I have also found, that flying into SNA in the summer, to go to Disneyland, a person can't wait TOO long before booking. I shall cross my fingers for a great deal for you and your family.
Originally Posted By MOLLYSMOM Have you also checked Sidestep.com? It is similar to Kayak. I wasn't sure what prices you have found, but it looks like $394 RT from PHL to LAX on that site. Don't get discouraged, and good luck sprinkled with Pixie Dust for you.
Originally Posted By MOLLYSMOM Also...check out Bestfares.com. According to what their site said 5 minutes ago, a RT fare from Phl to SNA was listed at $240. I did not check what the flight times were...it could be rotton, but that's another place to check for a good deal. I have never used Bestfares myself, but maybe someone else here has, and can give you a recommendation. I will leave you alone now, you have a flight to find!!!!!!!
Originally Posted By gottaluvdavillains I just got a flight from Columbus to San Jose for $300 including taxes through "name your own price" on Priceline. It was a last minute trip and was book within 2 weeks of departure.
Originally Posted By SuzieQ Southwest announced a new sale today - check again! If you get within 2 weeks, the prices are going to skyrocket.
Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub At least with Southwest they have No Penalties for changes made and the unused funds are available for future flights. So if you book and find a Ding you could make changes but I always act like I am buying 7or 8 tickets to check availability before I cancel anything. If it looks like it will allow me to continue into booking then I change my passenger amount.It is risky because you would actually have to cancel your flights and quickly repurchase.I have been waiting for today's Ding.I think prices will go up during the summer season. GoodLuck
Originally Posted By Tinkerbell819 I got excited when I went to the bestfare site and saw the $198 RT. I typed in my dates and waited to puchase and the site directed me to Kayak where the fare was $413! We usually fly for just under $1,000 for the 4 of us. Since the hotel was already $1,000 more than last summer, I can't afford the extra $600 for air. At one time Southwest had a $99 fare one way, but not the way back. Then the flight back went on sale, while the way out was up again. Looking back, I wish I had booked one and then grabbed the other, b/c SW will give us credit for a year. But, I didn't want the $$$ tied up in case I got a better deal with another carrier. Last week SW had a sale for Philly. They advertised like crazy on TV...anywhere SW flys from Philly...$99 each way. The only stipulation mentioned was to buy 14 days in adv. and purchase by 6/30. No problem! My sale email said the same thing. No dates were available for the summer. I tried calling them to see if I was doing something wrong. The reservationist looked at the sale and seemed suprised, too. "It says everywhere we fly from Philly, but nothing comes up on the screen, sorry. I guess we sold out" For every airport and every date in minutes after advertising? Nah. It's all just a conspiracy to drive me crazy!
Originally Posted By MOLLYSMOM What the???????? Bestfares says 198, but then kicks you to Kayak at 413????? As my DH says, "I'm corn-fused". There has to be a trick that we're missing on Bestfares....I'm gonna go back there in a few minutes and play around and see what I can discover.
Originally Posted By Tinkerbell819 I tried two more times with the different offers and I was sent straight to Kayak. I thought, "this looks familiar". lol (Maybe b/c I check that site about 5X a day!
Originally Posted By mickeynewe Tinkerbell I'll start looking too to see what I can find! I'm sure between all of us we will HAVE to find something! Hey, if all goes right between the two of us we'll both be a Hojo's at the same time! We're getting in late on the 27th. Although Saturday my hubby wants to go to the Magic Castle. So I won't get to the park until Saturday evening. At least night time is my favorite time! Hope to see you there!
Originally Posted By Tinkerbell819 I feel a little more optimistic now that I have been sprinkled with some pixie dust from my LP friends! I'm still trying to get the Hojos rate down a little, too. That would help with the airfare! I almost had some luck last week, a guy answered and put me on hold to ask the manager if there was any way they could give me a better discount b/c I was staying so long. When he came back on the line he said a manager wasn't there. I was holding my breath and crossing my fingers and toes until he came back on the phone! This annual visit to CA and DL is what gets me through the year. I will be devasted to have to cancel! I hope you're feeling better, and what is the Magic Castle? (I thought it was DL!)
Originally Posted By MOLLYSMOM Oh sure...hang with Tink, but not with me...I see how you are. I'll just chalk this up to your meds so my feelings don't get hurt.......... Tink...if it kicks you to Kayak, I wonder why in Hades the 198 fares aren't showing up??? The plot thickens...... Ok, what are youe EXACT days of travel? I don't think you posted your return date. Mickeynewe is right, between all of us and all our little tricks, we gotta be able to get you something decent.
Originally Posted By MOLLYSMOM The Magic Castle is a hotel that has the most amazing magic shows as its entertainment. If I remember correctly, Mickeynewe and her family went last year, but it wasn't as wonderful as they had anticipated. Right Mickey????? Which makes me wonder why in the heck she'd want to do it again, and all. It must be her meds...that's why she won't postpone her vacation to hook up with me...those meds aren't quite right yet.
Originally Posted By Tinkerbell819 Thanks so much! My "ideal" dates are 7/28-8/11. I was able to get the fare down a little by leaving on 7/31, but the times were bad, like leaving LAX at 10:30PM. Yikes! If I can't get the whole 2 weeks, I won't be greedy, just so I can get there! (We travel other places while we're there, visit relatives, go to the beach, etc...that's why we stay 2 weeks. One just goes by way too fast.) Now it looks like I can't leave on the 31st, though, b/c I'll miss meeting Mickeynewe!
Originally Posted By Tinkerbell819 Thanks for the Magic Castle answer! I've never heard of it! I was just looking in my old emails trying to see when those Entertainemnt rates became available last summer. I must have deleted my confirmations. That's weird b/c they were there from all of the other years! lol (I like to save things like that to compare from year to year.)
